What do you look for in a Wine and Spirits merchant? What information would you appreciate from that merchant?

Question

I run a small Fine Wine and Spirits Shop. We have only been open for 7 months, looking to expand our services. Food sales are not an option due to licensing issues. We are attached to a hotel with full ammenties and there is a fully accredited sommelier on site. We have full access to all the hotel property.

Answer 1

I would look for a store that is well stocked and has a knowledgeable staff. I would like to have choice in what I buy (perhaps more expensive brands and cheaper brands) and have many different types of wines and spirits available to me. It is also important to have a staff that is knowledgeable about the products and can make a recommendation.

Once I went to a wine and spirits store and asked the sales clerk if she could direct me towards the sweet red wines (as I don't know much about wine, and this was a gift for a friend). She simply listed off a bunch of names quickly that I couldn't remember and when I asked for a recommendation, refused to give me one because I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for. Needless to say, I left without buying anything. A helpful staff will help you out very much.

Good luck with your shop!

Answer 2

First and foremost, someone who is interested in my taste, not the taste of some far-off guru, and who therefore asks me questions about qualities in a wine or spirit that appeal to me.
Second, a selection that reveals individual taste and -- because of that -- contains a few surprises.
Give me those and reasonable prices, and I would be a regular assuming I lived within striking distance of your shop.